


Murphy's Law

by Cicadaemon



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Drinking to Cope, F/M, Game Spoilers, Implied/Referenced Suicide, It's going to get sad if I have it my way, Mental Health Issues, Minor Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags Contain Spoilers, Unplanned Pregnancy, Which I do cause Im the author
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-07-16 04:07:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7251451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cicadaemon/pseuds/Cicadaemon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Murphy's Law is a popular adage coined from mathematician,  Augustus De Morgan's notes from 1866. It is typically stated that "anything that can go wrong, will go wrong"....</i>
</p><p>After a few too many beers and some light teasing, a young farmer makes several mistakes that will shape the rest of her life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mistakes

**Author's Note:**

> I'm doing this story betaless for the time being and with that there shall be some mistakes within. If you spot any, please let me know and I shall fix it as soon as possible. If you wish to beta for me please let me know!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 06/05/2017:  
> Unfortunately I had lost my story plan for this story and thus lost all motivation write it which is why it's been sitting untouched for so long. Worry not, I am in the process of remaking and redoing my story plan which means I can continue on! It also helps that 1.1 patch came out with canon heart events for Shane rather than the ones I was making up. I will include a few of them into the story if I can.

Often times she would wonder how exactly she got to the spot where she was. Whether it'd be as she fished for what had turned out to a be the elusive pufferfish, or harvesting crops, the young farmer would ponder over the events that lead her to that exact moment.

First had to be the death of her grandfather. She had only be three when it had happened and any memories of him living were one she concocted from stories that had been told. Next came the overwhelming want to cease to exist that came along with her job. Less poetically, she hated her job. That want had to become so great that she would open the letter from her grandfather, who had told her twenty years previous not to until her bright spirit had faltered.

It had definitely faltered by then.

Next came selling everything she owned, which amounted to only five-hundred gold and book it out of the city.

And there she was, a farmer, a pillar of the community, a friend and a caretaker.

Yes, she was definitely something other than what she was almost three years ago. Sometimes it felt like a dream, as if at any moment now her supervisor would come strolling down the cubicles and give her a very stern warning on daydreaming or falling asleep at the keyboard.

But alas, it was not a dream. She was reminded of those constantly, especially on the hot summer day that it seemed to all go into motion. While plucking the blueberries away from the plants, her mind would float away somewhere else, whether it be by the beach or in the Stardrop Saloon only to be hurled back to reality every time a blackfly attacked the back of her neck.

The last bugger that bite her neck had drew blood and with that she decided to call a day. The sun had begun to set and all the plants had been water and harvested. Her new chicken had been petted and fed. Every so often she would look over the stone wall to see the beautiful coop the Robin had constructed. After two years of saving and dreaming, she finally had a coop of her own. And a chicken too. It's nice brown feathers filled her with joy every time she pet the darling thing.

All though every time she remembered buying the chicken she would feel herself cringe at what happened next.

Excited, she decided to show it to someone she knew would care. At first she thought of Marnie who had become a good friend. She had only made friends with Shane at first because she kept being invited over to the ranch for dinner. It was then that the thought of Marnie shifted to her nephew and the Farmer knew that Shane would be delighted to see the chick. He was after all the guy who took care of the chickens on the ranch whenever her could.

With that, she had stuff little Ham into her pocket and made her way to Joja Mart. There were a few things she hated in her life. She could remember her mother always saying save your energy to hate for those that deserve it; the Farmer had never found anything to hate as much as Joja and Morris. Since the second she stepped into the mart out of curiosity and a comment made by Jodi, the Farmer has never known peace from the HR Manager, Mr. Morris. A part of her was sure he wasn’t even human. What she truly hated about him was how his face would scrunch up in fake sympathy, as if he pitied her for missing out on the best thing to ever happen to her; as if she hadn’t sold away most of her early adult years in a Joja call centre and grown to hate the company with a passion.

Simply, she hated Morris and avoided Joja Mart whenever she could. She only entered when Marnie would ask her to go bring Shane lunch if he forgot it at home. It seemed like every time she visited the story she would leave with more determination to bring Morris down and that meant completing the quests set out to her by the Junimos. She worked hard to try and set up the Community Center, hoping that it would help band the people together against Morris. Her work was to prove how strong a village could be.

As she had stepped into the mart, she had only enjoyed the air conditioning that swept upon her... or rather hitting her like a wall. She walked pass Morris and his disgusting smile, hating how the pressure in her chest increase. She rubbed her eyes harshly hoping that maybe she could blind herself enough to not be bothered by the brilliant blues and whites that burned her eyes.

It didn't take long to find him.

Shane had once called her the bane of his existence when she had kept visiting him at work to give him actual food instead of pizza. He had cursed her out whenever she decided to sit beside him at the saloon. In fact, he had once shoved several bills into her hand, almost begging her to leave him be.

She didn't do it cause she liked him at first.

She did it cause Marnie asked her. It later became out of companionship. That’s all they ever had been. Friends.

And yet that day he had looked up at her with a sort of bliss on his face. That had puzzled her a little.

It was welcomed though.

He had been happy when she knelt beside him and showed him the baby chick. The farmer's chest had grown tight once more when he had made a soft clucking noise to little Ham and how he had smiled so softly when she told him her name.

She didn't keep him company because she liked him or cause Marnie seemed so worried about him. At first she only did it cause she wished someone had when she had worked for the soul sucking Joja Co. and she hoped with everything in her that maybe one day Shane would understand  
.  
"She'll be a beautiful hen one day," he had whispered to her as he began to continue stocking the shelves. "Lovely brown feathers and all."

Shane had been right. She had gotten up after that and pretend to look at the shelves, listening as Shane told her what to do for the little thing. She drifted slightly hearing how soft his voice was talking about the chickens. She remembered how he had said if he could reset, he'd have a chicken farm. Free range of course.

"That is possible." She had told him then. He had scoffed and went back to his beer. She often thought about that comment he had made, but she never said anything about it again.

Sometimes she would wonder if maybe she should offer him a job as a farm hand, he could look after the animals and her the crops. After all he did live on a ranch and from what she had heard, Shane had spent many summers of his life helping his aunt out. He did know his way around.  
Offering him such job felt too intimate and inappropriate given their relationship. There was also the fact she was sure he’d take it as an insult.

She had left him to his job after 20 minutes of him basically lecturing her before Morris had stuck his ugly head into view. Later that night he had happily continued when she asked him to.

"I'm just so worried I'm going to kill her, you know?" the Farmer had sighed into her drink. She could feel the effects of the brew in her head, making her drift away more than usual. "I feel like  
I'm destined to fail sometimes...."

He had shushed her then, blush strong his face. They both had drank more than usual, her limit being three beers ago.

"Don't Shane. I'm not perfect."

"Hell yeah you're not. It's so annoying whenever you come in here bragging about your crops. HA I've had some of those crops and they aren't that good."

She had given him a strong punch to the shoulder then, relishing how his laugh had felt. She loved him drunk, the only time he seemed friendly and warm.

The banter had continued on till almost closing and Gus had to tell them to go home. She had then offered him a tour of the coop, asking for his opinion of what to do with the area.

Mistake number one.

Her farm was separated into several sections, to the west where he grandpa’s shrine sat was two sheds filled with kegs and preserve jars. The middle sat empty area where he one day hoped to full with a barn and another coop. Her house sat on the east and below it was crop fields, tapped trees and her coop in a fenced off area. Shane had made a comment about how it didn’t look as wild as it once did. She had made a jab back about something her drunk mind seemed to forgotten seconds after she had spoken them.

Those words had made him laugh.

"You fenced it up!" He looked happy.

"Of course I did. I wouldn't want the chick running off. Do I look stupid to you."

He smiled sheepishly and looked the other way. She gritted her teeth and smiled. That bastard.

He had been rather impressed with how she had everything set up and practically applauded her at already having a heater set up in advance. She offered to show him the rest of the farm if he wanted, adding how this place was her pride and joy and she couldn't help, but offer.

Mistake number two.

He agreed and everything seemed more lighter and bright. Probably the glow stone ring she alway wore.

Mistake number three had been in the grove she had found, where she planted all her flowers. One day it would be where she’d set up a Slime Hutch, but for now it was just a garden. She had jokingly called it her fairy garden, admitting that she only made it hidden to feel like a princess in a story her father use to read to her. He had smiled when she told him that. She couldn't help but blush.

Mistake three wasn't her, but rather Shane's fault.

He kissed her.

It had been so sudden, but she didn't stop it all. Instead, among the flowers with the dull light of her ring she kissed him back. His face had felt scruffy against her face and she loved it. Weeks later she could sometimes remember the faint tasted of mint and beer that had been that kiss.  
It had been sloppy and laughable in their drunken state.

Mistake four had been the fact they didn't stop.

She had felt a fire light within her with that kiss and she had deepened it. He retaliated. She had practically dragged him back to her home. She had loved how he felt against her body as he pushed her onto the bed.

It had been two weeks since that night and she still couldn't look him in the eye. In fact she was avoiding him. The Farmer refused to admit how much she had enjoyed that night and him. 

Sometimes she would remember had good he had felt and the way he moaned. Remembered sent tingling and warmth to the pit of her stomach.

The Farmer shook herself out of nostalgia and took one careful look at the coop once more. After that night she had torn out all the flowers in the grove and pretended it never happened. Shane had too she supposed as they had been awkwardly tiptoeing around each other. They had been courteous and lukewarm friendly at best, but there was obviously a divide. 

The Farmer packed up and made her way to the Saloon where she handed out a few crops and meals before settling down for a drink and some food. Emily had made a comment later in the night as she scratched at the bug bites at the back of her neck.

"You haven't drank together and weeks," she had said as she passed her the beer, the amber liquor reminding her of mistake four.

"Yeah well he's not exactly pleasing to be with so can you blame me."

A statement not a question. Emily had giggled at that and gently touched her hand. "Yeah, but you were trying too hard! It seems a shame."

Shame indeed.

Shame welled up in her as she looked off across the vast counter to where Shane drank beside the fireplace. She wished so hard that he'd make the first move.

He hadn't.

Remember caused a bitter taste in her mouth, one which couldn't be erased with beer. She’d rather go home early than sit here knowing that the townsfolk would question what had happened. She never realised how obvious the relationship between her and Shane had become.

So she went home early.

Walking home, she felt the very familiar cramping feeling in her lower abdomen. A part of her want to swear; hoping that it wasn’t her period. With an even more familiar rush between her legs, she broke into a sprint to get home before her underwear was ruined.

The second she had shut the bathroom door she had yanked off her overall and pulled her nice panties down. Blood.

"Fuck me!"

It was a little dribbled, but enough to make her angry. How dare her period come early with the seasons changing and the apparent crisis she was in. Autumn was the biggest month for crops and artisan goods with cranberries and blackberries coming into season. It was always hard working when her body was sore and crampy. A moment she rested now was a precious moment lost and she knew like all previous times her body would betray her enough to have to take two or three days off.

Angry and upset, she washed and went to bed immediately wondering if there was any chance that she could sell her uterus so she could maybe upgrade her coop. 

===

The Farmer had woken with a start. He stomach flopped slightly and she could feel herself go clammy.

This had become a regular for her the last 4 days, but it seemed worse now with her period started. She rushed to the bathroom and vomited to her heart's discontent. Vomiting was new, normally she would just feel nauseous which would go away after she ate something. For a brief while she had been terrified of something being wrong, but the one good thing that her period did was let her know her worries were gone.

She had been to scared to ask Harvey for a prescription for birth control and she knew for a fact they didn't use protection. Thinking she might get pregnant was the first fear that came after she slept with Shane and it had been a nagging feeling in the back of her head, but now that was gone.

Unfortunately, a new fear arose from not being pregnant. Vomiting for apparently no reason could mean something worse and worse was not what she wanted during a busy season.

She had continued on with her morning routine, watching the clock anxiously. At a quarter to nine she rushed out of the house and made her way to Harvey's clinic. She had to get this sorted out before it became anything big.

Maru had let her in with a smile which she returned meekly. She was told her to make her way in and see Harvey immediately. At least there would be no waiting which gave some sense of relief.

Entering the checkup room was terrifying when it wasn’t for your yearly checkup, but Harvey’s warm presence did her wonders. There had been a point in her life when she was interested in the man; remembering how her mother always told her to snag herself a cute doctor. They ended up good friends instead and she lost that crush.

"How can I help you today," Even his voice was warm and pleasant, something that she always appreciated. Today it was appreciated even more.

"To keep it simple," She began. “I’ve been feeling mild nausea for the last several days and today I had to puke which made this serious to me. I thought at first it might be a flu or cold, but I’m not getting any of the other symptoms with it. I just want to make sure it isn’t anything serious, considering my busy season is right around the corner.”

"I see," Harvey bit down on his pen, his eyebrows scrunching up in thought. "I'm just going to ask a few questions before doing an exam okay? It’ll help me rule some stuff out first. I need you to be as honest and precise as you possibly can."

"Alright."

"First," he clicked his pen on and set it ready to write. "How long has this been going on for?"

"Several days. The nausea being maybe four days."

"Any change in appetite?"

"Not really? Nothing I've noticed."

"Have you participated in unprotected sex."

Her heart hammered loud. She knew that question was coming, but wow she was not ready.

"I'm not pregnant."

Harvey looked up from the clipboard. "Please answer the question."

"What is this? An interrogation?"

He sighed loudly before smiling softly. "I'm asking what needs to be asked."

"I'm on my period, it began last night."

"How's the flow then?"

"What?"

He smiled again, this time bashfully. This was embarrassing for him too. "Is it lighter then usual?"

She thought for a second, "Actually... yeah. Normally it's on time and really heavy, but it just happen out of nowhere and like only a dribble."

"Unprotected sex lately?" He asked again.

She looked down. "Yeah."

"I maybe beating a dead horse, but please do a pregnancy test for me. I just want to make sure. I want to rule this out first before we continue on."

"But my period-"

"Women experience a thing called spotting early in pregnancies. It looks like your period and can be accompanied with cramps, but it's just the after effect of conception."

"Oh."

It almost felt as if her heart had lodged itself in her throat..

It was way in her stomach when she took the stick from Harvey and made it to the soles of her feet as she waited for the damned thing to turn into a plus or minus.

They waited in silence.

"So you're not going to ask who?" she whispered, unable to turn her face away from the test.

"I don't need to so I won't." Harvey turned to her. "If it doesn't come out positive then its probably just a bug or mild heat stroke. Nothing too bad right?"

"Yeah," her voice faltered away.

Her heart had made home in the deepest pits of the mine when the testing showed the dreaded pink plus.

Mistake four had to be the worse by far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two is where I'm going to introduce the Farmer's name just cause it will be easier for me to write. I know some people dont like it when the Farmer's name is mentioned, but like I feel since this story goes wildly out of canon (and what's possible in game) this shouldn't be a Shane/Reader kind of deal.
> 
> if I get enough people saying that they dont like it, I will happily change it, but for now I'm using the name of my character :D


	2. Congratulations

Antoinette loved the colour pink. Her parent’s garden has been filled with pink and white hybrid tulips when she was younger and her mother had this one spring dress that was decorated in little pink blossoms that she had always loved. Coming to Stardew Valley she had begun to associate it with other things. The melons that grew in summer, the lip gloss Haley wore, the pink icing cookies Evelyn made for her birthday, the colour of Sandy’s hair. It was a happy colour to her, but now it was a casual reminder of the mistakes she had made.

She was pregnant. No point in beating around the bush about it. She sat there in silence repeating the phrase in her head, letting it sink in. The thought of the baby daddy was one she’d avoid for now.

She was knocked out of her mantra by a soft hand on her shoulder. Harvey spoke soft and gently. “I suppose congratulations are in order?”

Antoinette looked up at him, a feeling of emptiness inside of her. “Don’t you dare congratulate me.”

Harvey too his hand away and played with glasses quickly. This was the first time she felt any sort of tension between her and the Doctor. It was strange.

“Do you want to ask who the dad is now?” Her voice came out small. That emptiness was starting to turn into fear. She felt almost like a child again with these feelings of being lost and scared. It wasn’t the kind of throwback that she liked.

“As your doctor I don’t.” Harvey fiddled with his glasses once more before sitting beside her on the exam table. “As your friend I do. You can chose who I am in this moment. Whatever you say I’m bond by the Hippocratic oath you know? Nothing I hear can be told to anyone without your consent.”

She smiled softly, “With all the talking it seems like you’re going for the role of doctor?”

“My job doesn’t end when the clinic.” He smiled again. She was suddenly so glad she had become his friend.

“You’re my friend and you will always be my friend.” She looked away from him down to her hands where she still held the pregnancy test. “It’s Shane.”

“Ahh that explains a little.”

Antoinette suddenly felt defensive she looked back to Harvey with fire in heart. “What do you mean it explains a little.”

Harvey shrugged quickly, “You two were getting along so well and then suddenly you two weren’t talking. What happened?”

Antoinette sighed before going over the PG version of what happened. Harvey nodded and said nothing, just sat there look attentive. When she was finished talking, she felt herself trembling.

“I’m guessing you're the first person I’ve told?”

“Yes.”

“I see.” Harvey looked away from her. “We still need to run a few tests which I can do here. I need a collection of your medical history and family medical history. We need to check blood pressure and such. I can do the tests, but I'm not exactly the person you’d want delivering you baby-”

“Why?” Antoinette figured some sort of story behind it, but Harvey laughed in response.

“We live in a small town where there haven’t been an actually birth in years. I’m very out of practice. I can get you in touch with a friend of mine. She’s a midwife and would be able to do the tests I do, but you’d have to travel out of town. I’d recommend it, she is the specialist after all and I trust her more than I'd trust myself for this.”

Antoinette nodded. Getting out of town wasn’t actually that hard. Lewis would be willing to drive her for sure and there was always the bus.

“I’d like to get in touch with your friend.”

“Alright! We just need to do some tests so we can see how far along you are. I can do those now. Also you might want to start thinking about taking vitamins and supplements, especially for folic acids.”

Harvey got up from the exam table and to the binder he brought in. Quickly he made notes as he went over what needed to be done. Antoinette sat there, taking it all in. He asked questions, which she answered as best as she could and he eventually drew blood to both confirm and see how far along she was.

“I’m surprise,” Harvey said as he looked over the results. “You’re pretty early in your pregnancy according to the hCG levels in your blood. I’d put you at a week. I’m surprised you’re even getting morning sickness now, most women don't find out their pregnant till they're four weeks along. I guess knowing early is good. You can start planning ahead.”

Harvey smiled at her which she returned meekly. “I don’t know what I should do now.”

“Right now we should just see how the pregnancy goes. You won’t actually get any symptoms till you’re around four weeks. I do want you to go see the midwife as soon as you possibly can.”

Antoinette nodded and another thought came to mind, one she had been hoping to avoid. Harvey beat her to it though.

“As your friend,” He said softly. “I’m here to support you. I can’t imagine what you’re feeling right now. You don’t have to tell him or you can….”

Harvey paused, looking hesitant on what he was going to say next.

“Harvey?”

“I could pretend… I mean we have a close enough relationship people would believe….”

If she didn’t love him before she loved him now. “I could ask for a better friend, but that's not right or fair on you… I’m going to tell him and we’ll see how it goes. I want to see if this even lasts you know what I mean.”

Harvey nodded and smiled which returned most easily.

She had left the clinic feeling lighter than expected. In her pocket was the number for the midwife and in her head a thousand thoughts flying about. She thought about how she was going to tell Shane which was something she couldn’t avoid. She also thought about how she was even going to make it through the fall season. Lucky enough, summer had been good and she easily depend on the blueberries she had harvested. She could easily just focus on cranberries which would grow on their own. She was so glad she had finally upgraded to some sprinklers. Animals wouldn’t be too hard on her, she had a barn with a goat, sheep and cow who she found easier to take care of than her crops. Lil’ Ham was starting to grow into the beautiful hen Shane predicted she’d become and the only part that would be hard would be bending down to get her eggs once she got bigger.

It was odd to think she’d get big. She was pregnant and that was a hard thought for Antoinette to process; there was no part of her that felt maternal yet. As she got closer to the farm, her thoughts eventually singled down to one. 

How the hell was she going to tell the townsfolk?

When you live in a small town such as Pelican Town, word gets around quickly. Something this gossip worthy would probably reach the other towns in the valley. The thought was terrifying, but she could hide it for now. She’d find a way.

For now she’d worry about how to break the news to Shane. Eventually.

===

“I miss the Farmer.”

Jas picked at her oatmeal, pouting slightly. Shane sighed, a part of him wanting to say ‘Me too’, but there was a sense of pride that stopped him. Or maybe it was him trying to keep up his indifferent attitude... not that he could from Jas.

“Toni is busy,” Marnie eventually said. “I’m sure she’ll come by again once the season starts to slow down some.”

Jas nodded and looked back to her oatmeal sadly. Marnie shook her head with a smile and continued eating herself. This had become a Sunday tradition of sorts now that Shane had Sundays off. The only time they could all sit down and have breakfast together and normally it was nice. Normally, he was in a better mood, but thinking about Antoinette made him sad now. Three weeks ago he made a stupid, drunken decision which lead to this divide which eventually became not talking to each other. A week ago she would kindly ask how he was and he’d respond back nicely. A small conversation and she would get back to the other villagers.

Now when she entered the Saloon it was a brief check in and she was gone. She had only entered the Saloon last Friday when it was all full and left quickly say that ‘there is so much to do’. She had taken time to chat with Harvey though. He had gotten a little jealous at that.

“Maybe Shane should drop by the farm after work to see how she’s holding up tomorrow?” Marnie spoke. “How would you feel about that Jas? You two could walk over and see if she’s okay?”

Shane wanted nothing more to say no, that was no okay. He was a coward and wanted nothing to do with the Farmer cause he was embarrassed and a little ashamed. Marnie gave him a quick look and he was sure the look on his face spoke to his thoughts. Jas, however was thrilled by the idea. She looked to him with delight in her face.

“Can we Shane? Please, please, please!”

It was hard to say no to a face like that. “Why do you even like her that much?”

“She’s nice to Vincent and me! I like her and I miss her.”

He sighed. Good enough logic to miss her he supposed. He couldn’t stand to she her so hung up about the lack of Antoinette in her life so with heavy sigh he said “Sure why not.”

Jas whooped loudly and Marnie had to remind her of her table manners to which Jas giggled out an apology. She left the table a lot happier than she had been when she sat down. Shane was ready to leave the Ranch completely and just go to the pond to enjoy one of the last days of August when Marnie stopped him.

“Help me with the dishes?”

Oh no. She wanted to talk.

There was nothing he could say to excuse himself so he just nodded his head. They stood their in silence for a bit as she washed and he dried. He wished the silence would last.

“Did something happen between the two of you?” Marnie eventually spoke up. “It seems like something bad happened and I’m worried.”

How was Shane going to be able to put into words that he had kissed and slept with the Farmer in a way that didn’t make him want to cringe out of existence? He was close to Marnie, she was his aunt after all and someone he actually trusted quite deeply. This was something however he didn’t want to talk about. It was also something he had a hard time hiding. He knew the kind of person Marnie was and he knew that she was going to dig deep enough to find the truth.

“Remember,” He started, his throat feeling tight. “Back earlier this month when I crashed at Toni’s for the night?”

“Yes.” She stopped washing the dishes.

“Well I lied. I didn’t just crash on her couch.”

He left it at that and rubbed the towel harder on the bowl. He stared down at the bowl as if it was the most interesting thing in the world and not because he didn’t want to make eye contact. Marnie gave a quick laugh.

“I should have figured. You finally realising you have a crush on her?”

He shook his head and still refused to look else where. Shane knew Marnie would have that all knowing smile on her face which would make him feel worse than he actually was.

“Shane? Shane, look at me please.”

Her tone shifted to something more serious and it was enough to get him to tentatively make eye contact. Marnie looked worried.

“You should talk to her and figure things out. I’m sure she’s feeling just as embarrassed.”

“Who said I’m embarrassed,” He lied. “I’m not embarrassed.”

She smirked. “Then what are you?”

He looked back down to the bowl. What was her going to say to that. Besides embarrassment and shame what did he feel?

“I wish I didn’t screw it up. I took advantage of her and kissed her. I shouldn't have done that.” He looked back to her again. “I feel like I screwed something that could have become more and it actually makes me a little sad.”

A surprised expression crossed Marnie’s face and Shane frowned at that. “What’s with that look?”

“It’s just you never actually talk about how you feel. I wasn’t actually expecting an answer. I guess you really do like her, hm?”

Shane bit his lip hard, “I like her as a friend.”

“Friends don’t fuck other friends.”

“Auntie Marnie!”

She laughed in response; he never really did call her auntie unless she said something embarrassing like that and she always did laugh at him for it.

“Talk to her and try and sort things out. I’m sure she’d be happy if you did and maybe you guys can take things slower this time around?”

Shane nodded and that was that. The conversation thankfully shifted to the Fair coming up and the preparations they’d make. She was already setting things up instead of rushing at the last minute. By some luck, Antoinette had won in her first year which had discouraged Marnie quite a bit. She had told her that she had just taken every single hard crop to grow and valuable items she’s obtained onto the grange. Before Shane had screwed things up and Antoinette had come over for supper she said that she didn’t want to go as hard in the Fair this year and that she had actually followed her grandpa’s notes to victory last year.

“Winning once if fine by me. I had fun with it, but I feel like I should leave it to the pros,” She smiled at Marnie then.

After that Marnie seemed to get back all motivation to win at the Fair once more. When Marnie and Shane finished the dishes, he made his way outside over to where the pond was. There wasn’t much he could do with his Sunday this week. He couldn’t get started on the chicken product till the first week of October and Marnie was busier with animal orders than anything else today. It was something she had told him she didn’t need help with so there went doing something productive. Jas was gone to the beach with Vincent and his brother Sam. So what else was there to do than to sit by the docks and contemplate life?

So, he did just that. He sat down on the old dock and looked out across the water and to the trees that were already starting to change colour. Just peaking out from the foliage was the weird tower to the south. Marnie always warned him about going that way. Once upon a time when he was a little kid dropped off by his mom for the summer he had made his way past to pond all the way up to stairway to the tower. He heard some sort of unearthly noise and ran out of their as quickly as he could.

His mom was still at the Ranch when he came running back and she had laughed at his reaction.

“That tower’s been there since I was a little girl too,” She had told him. “Auntie Marnie, Lottie and I went to the tower once when grandma and grandpa were in town and we got yelled at by an old man in a big hat. I’d be surprised if the man still lived there. They say he was a wizard to could turn little children into toads.”

Shane could remember how he had trembled at that, but his mom laughed again telling him not to worried; that it was all superstition and the wizard in the tower was just an old man nothing more.

That was over twenty years ago now and he wish he could trust what his mom had said. That the weird man who called himself a wizard was just a old crazy man. The only contact the townsfolk got with him was the Spirit’s Eve maze and the weird postings he’d have put up on the General Store. That should be proof enough he was crazy and yet Shane doubted. He held by the belief that all the weird things he had seen over the years could be explained by science, but Antoinette had always stood by the fact that magic existed. She almost sounded like his mom; a little crazy and a little too believing. Maybe that’s why he had liked her at first.

Shane sighed and wondered how the hell he even got here in the first place, sitting on a dock thinking about a crazy old man. He knew the answer, but he felt as if it wasn’t good enough. He knew how he got here physically, but then he thought about how the hell did he get into this rut he was apparently in. Antoinette had made the grey days seem a little better, but no amount of cheerful hellos and quick lunches brought could really make him feel better. If that was the cure then Jas would have made it better years ago.

Speaking of Jas, he could hear the familiar footsteps running up to him. He looked behind him to see his cousin run down the dirt path. He waved to her and she made a quick wave back before running as fast as she could. That was something he couldn’t help, but smile at. Despite how terrible he felt, she could always make him smile.

“Hi Shane!” Her voice was breathy and laboured. “Did you see how fast I ran?”

“As fast as a horse!” He said which made her laugh in response. She plopped down next to him. “Did you have fun at the beach?”

“I did!” Jas said with a smile. She went on about how much fun she and Vincent had making castles and how Elliott, the writer that lived in the cabin on the beach had actually joined them for a bit.

“He helped us collect shells and seaweed to make our castle prettier! Sam made more towers for us while we did that.”

“That was really nice of them.” Shane never really spoke to the writer, except for the few times when Elliott would make conversation when he went to the Saloon. Antoinette always said that he was a kind man and had an even kinder heart. He trusted her word on it.

It seemed like everything was reminding him of the Farmer to the north today.

Jas had stopped talking about the beach trip now and saw quietly staring at the water before her. She seemed a lot happier than she did this morning.

“Jas,” Shane spoke up. “About Antoinette…”

Jas looked up at him, “We are going to see Miss Farmer tomorrow right? I really want to see her, she says she has a goat now and I want to see the goat! I want to see her too.”

“Don’t worry we will. It’s just I did something stupid and that's why me and Toni haven't been talking. When we go tomorrow, spend as much time with the goat as you want. I need to talk to her.”

“So I’m your winglady?”

Shane snorted at that, “Where did you even learn that word?”

“I heard Sebastian say it to Sam once.”

Shane shook his head and laughed. Jas was really something else.

“No you’re not. It’s just a two birds with one stone sort of deal. You get to see the goat and I get to fix things between me and Toni-”

“Toni and I.” 

“Okay then… between Toni and I with this one visit. It’s just a private conversation so I don't want you listening into it okay?”

Jas looked as if she was thinking on it. She looked from the Shane to the pond before talking. “Okay, but that means I get to go pet the chicken too.”

“I’m okay with that, but you’d have to ask her first okay?”

“Okay! We have a deal!” Jas stuck her hand out and Shane laughed. He took her hand and gave a good, firm shake on it.

It wasn’t long before Jas excused herself so she could go have lunch and reminded him not to sit for too long. Then she was gone and Shane was left with his thoughts again.

In that moment he felt as if he did have the courage to talk to the Farmer. It didn’t mean that he couldn’t wait for tomorrow.

Tomorrow could take its sweet time.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Check out my tumblr @ cicadaemon.tumblr


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